The Los Angeles Kings are facing some roster changes ahead of their match against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday. Defenceman Joel Edmundson has been designated as a non-roster player and will be unavailable for the game. Head coach Jim Hiller explained to reporters that Edmundson had to leave the team to attend to family matters.
Edmundson, who is 31 years old, joined the Kings in the off-season after signing a lucrative four-year, $15.4 million deal as an unrestricted free agent. Standing tall at 6-foot-5, the left-shot defenceman has managed to contribute an assist in three games this season while logging an average ice time of 21:09.
Last season, Edmundson notched a goal and six points in 53 games split between the Washington Capitals and the Maple Leafs. It’s evident that his absence will be felt on the ice during the upcoming game against the Maple Leafs.
In addition to Edmundson being sidelined, goaltender Darcy Kuemper will also be missing the game due to injury, and his status is currently listed as day-to-day. Kuemper’s last game saw him give up eight goals on 49 shots as the Kings suffered a tough 8-7 loss to the Ottawa Senators in overtime.
Stepping in for Kuemper on Wednesday night will be David Rittich, who is getting his first game of the season. The Kings have also called up goaltender Pheonix Copley on an emergency basis to serve as Rittich’s backup for the game against the Maple Leafs.
Rittich had a solid performance last season, finishing with a record of 13-6-3, a .921 save percentage, and a 2.15 goals-against average. Kings fans will be hoping that Rittich can bring some stability to the net as the team faces a tough challenge against the Maple Leafs.